Estoril Open: Thiem notches first ATP Tour win of 2024

Austrian Dominic Thiem shrugged off concerns about his right wrist as he collected his first ATP Tour win of the year with a 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-4 victory over German Maximilian Marterer to reach the second round of the Estoril Open at Clube de Ténis do Estoril on Monday.

World No 91 Thiem, a quarter-finalist last year, grabbed the vital break in the fifth game of the deciding set and served out confidently for the win.

The Austrian will play lucky loser Richard Gasquet next in a battle of the one-handed backhands.

“It was good,” Thiem said in his on-court interview. “I cam here early to prepare and it paid off. First set was great. Second set, Max started to play better and in the third it became a real battle. I’m really happy it went my way in the end.”

Last week, Thiem revealed that he has again been struggling with his right wrist and explained that he was coming to Estoril to test it out. There were no apparent concerns during the match.

“(The idea) was to really take care, that’s there’s nothing coming for the wrist, or the body,” he said, of his decision to reduce the intensity of his practice. “I’ve had enough practice in my life so I can handle a little less.”

Estoril ATP 250, other first-round results (Clube de Ténis do Estoril, clay, EUR 579.320, most recent results first):

• Jan Choinski vs. Joao Fonseca
• Jaime Faria vs. Constant Lestienne
• Dominik Koepfer vs. Pablo Llamas Ruiz
• Arthur Fils vs. João Sousa
• Daniel Altmaier vs. Pedro Martinez
• Henrique Rocha vs. Gael Monfils
• Marton Fucsovics vs. Pedro Cachin
• Federico Coria vs. Botic van de Zandschulp
• Jurij Rodionov vs. Cristian Garin
• Lucas Pouille vs. Nuno Borges
• Roberto Bautista Agut beat Miomir Kecmanovic (6): 6-1, 7-5